News Broadcasting
Titanic ratings spurs Vijay to bring in more dubbed movies
MUMBAI: Its reality shows are working, but it’s the dubbed Hollywood blockbuster that’s helping Vijay score over rivals in Tamil Nadu.
Star TV CEO Michelle Guthrie was not far off the mark when she pointed out at Frames 2004 that it was the dubbed properties that were fetching Star India better ratings than original Hindi movies. Titanic, dubbed in Tamil, has done a similar trick for Star’s Vijay down South. While rivals have scoffed at Vijay’s claim of a 51.1 per cent channel share in Tamil Nadu on the evening of 29 February when the film was aired, saying it was a one off spurt, Vijay is exulting in the impressive 15.3 TVR in raked in the rest of Tamil Nadu and 19.8 TVR in Chennai.
Vijay’s head of programming Suresh Iyer says the channel now has more such blockbusters in the pipeline for the year. Says Iyer, We put in a lot of efforts to ensure that viewers had a memorable time watching Titanic in Tamil. The high quality dubbing ensured that movie viewing experience remained intact.”
For the period between 11 am and 4 pm on that day, Vijay, usually a guarded number three in the numbers game in Tamil Nadu, had a majestic 66.2 per cent channel share in capital Chennai. Comparitive figures quoting TAM, show rival Sun TV with a channel share of 13.5 per cent and Sun sibling KTV with a share of 3.9 per cent. In the rest of Tamil Nadu, Sun TV fared a shade better with a share of 21.8 per cent, while KTV cornered a share of 7.7 per cent.
The film helped Vijay secure all time high TVRs in both Chennai and the rest of Tamil Nadu. Says Vijay TV GM Ajay Vidyasagar,” Epics like Titanic are timeless and will attract eyeballs. These are indications that consumption habits are undergoing a change.”
In recent weeks, Vijay launched new shows in the reality genre – one a game show Vai Raja Vai, aired on weekends and a daily election special programme Makkal Yaar Pakkam, both of which, according to Iyer are attracting a lot of attention among viewers.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
